Peter is FAT

sigh. I'm a sucker for a wriggling nose and those big brown eyes

What is a normal feed for a (supposed to be) 9lb NWZ buck? he's maybe 2 years old now.

and, um...how do I put him on a diet without him eating the cage? Lots of hay? or....I'm perfectly willing to put him on straight grains and forget pellets, if that will help. (he will eat grains. likes oats and sunflower seeds, i';ve found) actually..he eats anything.

The only thing i can think of to help his appetite while he is on his diet is free chose hay. My bucks get about an ounce of pellets per pound.

free choice hay for sure

how often does he get pellets now? you might split it in two and cut it by 1/4 to start

Lots of hay and water... preferably some of it grass hay because alfalfa hay is rich. Cut the pellets and grain way back. He can nibble all the grass hay he wants to keep him satisfied and his usual fresh foods should be okay (watch the portion size for anything sweet or starchy though, like apples, carrots, beetroot etc.)

What are the drawbacks of a fat buck? And what IS a fat buck?
This is something I have a problem with- easy keepers.
B~

typical nz buck??? probably no more than 8-10 oz of feed. My guy goes through almost one cup of food per day. That with a handful of hay.

I'll admit, I try to keep my bucks slim since most of them won't breed if they're overweight. I have 2 black bucks that breed with vigor and enthusiasm even if they're carrying a few extra ounces, so they get more feed - probably about 8 oz (by weight, NOT volume) a day. The rest of the bucks end up just lying across the doe's back and panting if they aren't kept to a strict diet. For these guys I have to run my hand over them at least twice a week to judge their condition. I want them slim enough to feel ribs and spine, but not have the bones protruding. On at least 2 of my bucks, that means about 5-6 oz of food a day and no more. I reduce their feed even more the week before I use them to breed to slim them down as much as possible, then increase a bit after breeding to make sure they don't get TOO undernourished.

Chunks of 2x4, grass hay, toys etc keep them from getting too bored in between meals. I feed twice a day and on their limited feed, the bowl is often cleaned out in about a half hour.

Using recommended feed amounts is a good way to start, but since individual rabbits have different metabolisms, the best way is too feel the rabbit and adjust to where you want them to be.